Concord, Mass.
1910.
May 21 
(No 2)
[May 21, 1910]

Oriole building nest

using her sharp bill most deftly. When she pulled at the 
strand to tighten the knot she put forth her utmost strength
tugging & tugging and every now and then flapping her wings as
she threw her head & body backward. When finally secured
the strand hung in a wide, deep loop like this [diagram].
She worked nearly all day yesterday and quite all of to-day
in the rain. The nest looked like a very flimsy affair
this evening. The male occasionally accompanied her to the
nest showing off & "flirting" but he gave her no help.
The other two birds worked through to-day also & their
mates behaved in the same way. There was very
little singing on the part of any of the males either
yesterday or to-day. All the apple trees were
sprayed with arsenate of lead on the 19th but none
of the elms have been sprayed as yet. All the
male Orioles are fine singers of the old-fashioned type. All are
new to this place if I may judge by their voices.